Q&A With CSG’s Broadband, Cable & Satellite President Michael Woods
First appeared on November 7, 2023 in Cablefax
How will cable providers win the race for new subscribers?
In an increasingly competitive world, U.S. providers seek to gain new subscribers and grow revenues with the promise of effortless connectivity, elevated experiences and simplified access to content. At the core, this translates to seamless content bundling, high-speed internet and wireless connectivity across multiple access technologies. By enabling a smooth customer experience across all these services, cable operators can drive revenue growth with new and innovative use cases, simplify operations and increase cost savings. Let’s think about a connected stadium, where network congestion quickly makes it hard to deliver a consistent and elevated wireless experience for fans. This is the opportunity for cable providers as they can route traffic to WiFi and offer a superior experience to their subscribers. By redefining how subscribers experience connectivity, success in the race for new subscribers depends on the ability to deliver a level of ease and personalization that will set cable providers apart.
Why does success require a new playbook?
It’s all about simplifying the customer’s journey. Imagine having TV, internet and wireless services all seamlessly integrated into one user-friendly platform. It is a unified experience that simplifies consumers’ lives as it is more convenient for them and eases the hassle of managing multiple bills and accounts, reducing frustration and increasing loyalty. Cable providers can offer faster, more seamless and reliable connectivity than wireless operators. Subscribers want to be connected; they are not too worried about what’s happening in the background. So, by expanding access networks to include wireless and in some cases satellite, cable providers are extending the connectivity, performance and reliability they can offer. Fixed networks can support wireless devices through WiFi offload and provide an effective back-up plan to fixed broadband services.
What market trends are driving change?
New competitive threats continue to emerge and evolve, with Fixed Wireless Access showing persistent growth both through adding underserved subscribers (like food trucks or DSL-only households) and, increasingly, by competing for value-conscious consumers through low-priced offers. Low Earth Orbit satellite services are launching to compete for rural subscribers and fiber overbuilders continue to grow. Linear TV continues its consistent decline, although there is a long way to go before the service disappears entirely. In response to these trends, cable providers are turning to wireless as a significant avenue for subscriber loyalty.
